List of best-selling Christmas singles in the United States facts for kids
This page is all about the best-selling Christmas songs in the United States. It lists popular holiday tunes from artists all over the world, but only counts how many copies they sold in the United States.
Did you know that "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby is super famous? The Guinness Book of World Records says it's the top-selling Christmas song ever in the U.S. It's also the best-selling song of all time, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide!
For a long time, before March 1, 1991, the only way to know how many songs were sold in the U.S. was through the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). They tracked how many records were sent to stores.
But since March 1, 1991, a system called Nielsen SoundScan has been used. This system tracks sales more accurately when a song is bought in a store or downloaded online. Digital music downloads started being tracked in 2003.
As of November 25, 2016, the holiday song with the most digital downloads is "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey. It came out in 1994 and has sold about 3.2 million digital copies!
Contents
Top Christmas Songs by Digital Sales
This section lists the top ten best-selling Christmas songs in the United States based on digital sales. This information comes from Nielsen Company's SoundScan data, updated on November 25, 2016. Nielsen SoundScan started tracking digital downloads in June 2003.
Most Downloaded Christmas Singles
| Rank | Title | Artist | Released | Label | Digital downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" | Mariah Carey | 1994 | Columbia | 3,200,000 |
| 2 | "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" | Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez | 2013 | Walt Disney | 1,600,000 |
| 3 | "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" | Trans-Siberian Orchestra | 1996 | Lava | 1,300,000 |
| 4 | "Mistletoe" | Justin Bieber | 2011 | Island | 1,100,000 |
| 5 | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" | Brenda Lee | 1958 | Decca | 1,000,000 |
| 6 | "Where Are You Christmas?" | Faith Hill | 2000 | Interscope | 977,000 |
| 7 | "Christmas Canon" | Trans-Siberian Orchestra | 1998 | Lava | 918,000 |
| 8 | "Feliz Navidad" | José Feliciano | 1970 | RCA | 808,000 |
| 9 | "Jingle Bell Rock" | Bobby Helms | 1957 | Decca | 780,000 |
| 10 | "Last Christmas" | Wham! | 1984 | Columbia | 751,000 |
Top Christmas Songs by RIAA Awards
This part of the list shows best-selling Christmas songs in the United States based on awards from the RIAA. The RIAA gives out awards like Gold and Platinum based on how many copies a song has sold. This list includes older songs from before digital tracking began.
Digital Song Awards
| Year of release | Title | Artist | Label | Award | Date of Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" | Mariah Carey | Columbia | 14× Platinum | 2023-12-08 |
| 1958 | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" | Brenda Lee | Decca | 5× Platinum | 2023-11-03 |
| 2014 | "Santa Tell Me" | Ariana Grande | Republic | 4× Platinum | 2024-01-09 |
| 2013 | "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" | Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez | Walt Disney | 4× Platinum | 2023-03-17 |
| 2011 | "Mistletoe" | Justin Bieber | Island | 3× Platinum | 2021-01-11 |
| 1963 | "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" | Darlene Love | Legacy | 3× Platinum | 2023-04-07 |
| 1963 | "Sleigh Ride" | The Ronettes | Legacy | 3× Platinum | 2023-04-07 |
| 1984 | "Last Christmas" | Wham! | Columbia | 2× Platinum | 2019-12-12 |
| 2019 | "Like It's Christmas" | Jonas Brothers | Republic | Platinum | 2023-01-25 |
| 2018 | "Cozy Little Christmas" | Katy Perry | Capitol | Platinum | 2022-01-27 |
| 2018 | "What Christmas Means to Me" | John Legend (Featuring Stevie Wonder) | Columbia | Platinum | 2022-03-22 |
| 2017 | "A Ghetto Christmas Carol" | XXXTentacion | Bad Vibes Forever | Platinum | 2023-05-02 |
| 2017 | "Snowman" | Sia | Atlantic | Platinum | 2022-10-27 |
| 2017 | "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" | Gwen Stefani (Featuring Blake Shelton) | Interscope | Platinum | 2023-12-04 |
| 2016 | "Hallelujah" | Pentatonix | RCA | Platinum | 2018-02-09 |
| 2014 | "Mary, Did You Know" | Pentatonix | RCA | Platinum | 2018-02-09 |
| 2007 | "This Christmas" | Chris Brown | RCA | Platinum | 2021-10-01 |
| 1994 | "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" | Mariah Carey | Columbia | Platinum | 2022-03-27 |
| 1994 | "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)" | Mariah Carey | Columbia | Platinum | 2023-12-08 |
| 1994 | "O Holy Night" | Mariah Carey | Columbia | Platinum | 2023-12-08 |
| 1965 | "Christmas Time Is Here" | Vince Guaraldi Trio | Fantasy | Platinum | 2019-01-31 |
| 1963 | "Winter Wonderland" | Darlene Love | Legacy | Platinum | 2023-04-07 |
| 1958 | "Run Rudolph Run" | Chuck Berry | Geffen | Platinum | 2020-11-18 |
| 2020 | "Take Me Home for Christmas" | Dan + Shay | Warner Music Nashville | Gold | 2022-02-03 |
| 2019 | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | Pentatonix Featuring Whitney Houston | RCA | Gold | 2023-01-27 |
| 2018 | "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" | John Legend | Columbia | Gold | 2023-02-14 |
| 2017 | "Candy Cane Lane" | Sia | Atlantic | Gold | 2023-11-15 |
| 2017 | "Santa's Coming for Us" | Sia | Atlantic | Gold | 2023-11-15 |
| 2015 | "Noel" | Chris Tomlin (with Lauren Daigle) | sixstepsrecords/Sparrow | Gold | 2024-03-07 |
| 2014 | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | Sam Smith | Capitol | Gold | 2020-02-11 |
| 2011 | "All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!)" | Justin Bieber with Mariah Carey | Island | Gold | 2020-06-25 |
| 2011 | "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" | Justin Bieber featuring Usher | Def Jam | Gold | 2024-01-10 |
| 2011 | "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" | Justin Bieber | Def Jam | Gold | 2023-12-12 |
| 2010 | "Shake Up Christmas" | Train | Columbia | Gold | 2024-02-26 |
| 2000 | "The Christmas Shoes" | NewSong | Benson/Reunion | Gold | 2020-07-31 |
| 2000 | "My Only Wish (This Year)" | Britney Spears | Jive | Gold | 2023-10-24 |
| 1996 | "Chanukah Song" | Adam Sandler | Warner Bros. | Gold | 2009-10-05 |
| 1996 | "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" | Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra | Lava | Gold | 2009-12-14 |
| 1994 | "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" | Mariah Carey | Columbia | Gold | 2022-03-27 |
| 1982 | "Hard Candy Christmas" | Dolly Parton | RCA | Gold | 2022-10-21 |
| 1973 | "Step into Christmas | Elton John | MCA | Gold | 2021-09-27 |
| 1965 | "Linus and Lucy" | Vince Guaraldi Trio | Fantasy | Gold | 2019-05-10 |
| 1963 | "Frosty the Snowman" | The Ronettes | Legacy | Gold | 2023-04-07 |
Physical Song Awards
The Christmas song with the highest RIAA award for a physical single is "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley. It was released in 1964 and has been certified Platinum.
| Year of release | Title (A-side/B-side) |
Artist(s) | Label | Award | Date of Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | "Blue Christmas"/ "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" |
Elvis Presley | RCA Victor | Platinum | 1999-07-15 |
| 1989 | "This One's for the Children"/ "Funky, Funky Xmas" |
New Kids on the Block | Columbia | Gold | 1990-01-09 |
| 1985 | "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" | Bruce Springsteen | Columbia | Gold | 1992-05-05 |
| 1984 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?"/ "Feed the World" |
Band Aid | Columbia | Gold | 1984-12-19 |
| 1984 | "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" | Elmo & Patsy | Epic | Gold | 1989-12-27 |
| 1982 | "Mickey's Christmas Carol" | (no artist listed) | Disneyland/Vista | Gold | 1989-05-11 |
| 1977 | "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (Story and Song) |
(no artist listed) | Buena Vista | Gold | 1994-03-25 |
| 1977 | "Frosty the Snow Man" (Story and Song) |
(no artist listed) | Disneyland/Vista | Gold | 1994-03-25 |
| 1976 | "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Story and Song) |
(no artist listed) | Disneyland/Vista | Gold | 1994-03-25 |
| 1970 | "The Night Before Christmas" (Story and Song) |
(no artist listed) | Disneyland | Gold | 1994-03-25 |
| 1959 | "Alvin's Harmonica"/ "Mediocre" (David Seville) |
The Chipmunks | Liberty | Gold | |
| 1958 | "The Chipmunk Song"/ "Almost Good" (David Seville) |
The Chipmunks with the Music of David Seville | Liberty | Gold | |
| 1958 | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"/ "Papa Noël" |
Brenda Lee | Decca | Gold | |
| 1957 | "Jingle Bell Rock"/ "Captain Santa Claus (and His Reindeer Space Patrol)" |
Bobby Helms | Decca | Gold | |
| 1955 | "Nuttin' for Christmas"/ "Santa Claus Looks Just Like Daddy" |
Art Mooney and His Orchestra Vocal by Barry Gordon |
MGM | Gold | |
| 1952 | "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"/ "Thumbelina" |
Jimmy Boyd | Columbia | Gold | |
| 1950 | "Frosty the Snow Man"/ "When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter" |
Gene Autry and The Cass County Boys | Columbia | Gold | |
| 1949 | "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas"/ "Yingle Bells" |
Yogi Yorgesson | Capitol | Gold | |
| 1949 | "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"/ "If It Doesn't Snow on Christmas" |
Gene Autry & The Pinafores | Columbia | Gold | 1969-11-10 |
| 1948 | "All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)"/ "Happy New Year" |
Spike Jones and his City Slickers | RCA Victor | Gold | |
| 1948 | "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"/ "I'm A-Tellin' You, Sam" |
Les Brown and his Orchestra | Columbia | Gold | |
| 1947 | "Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)"/ "An Old-Fashioned Christmas" |
Gene Autry | Columbia | Gold | |
| 1946 | "Christmas Island"/ "Winter Wonderland" |
Andrews Sisters and Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | Decca | Gold | |
| 1946 | "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)"/ "In the Cool of Evening" |
The King Cole Trio | Capitol | Gold | |
| 1944 | "White Christmas"/ "If You Are But a Dream" |
Frank Sinatra | Columbia | Gold | |
| 1943 | "I'll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams)"/ "Danny Boy" |
Bing Crosby | Decca | Gold | |
| 1943 | "Jingle Bells"/ "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" |
Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters | Decca | Gold | |
| 1942 | "White Christmas"/ "Let's Start the New Year Right" |
Bing Crosby | Decca | Gold | |
| 1942 | "White Christmas"/ "Abraham" |
Freddy Martin and his Orchestra | Victor | Gold | |
| 1935 | "Silent Night"/ "Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)" |
Bing Crosby | Decca | Gold |
See also
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of best-selling Christmas singles in the United States Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.